The Good Life

I received this book as a gift from a friend after see Tony Bennett live here in San Francisco. I decided to take a little time and thought I'd read a couple of paragraphs then go on with my day. Well, from the introduction on I found that I could not put the book down. I read it from cover to cover in one sitting which I normally do not do unless the book is of real interest. The writing style was conversational and had me thinking to myself I feel as though he's right here sitting and talking with me. The book begins with accounts of his parents and family immigrating to the US from Italy. His stories of his early childhood with his Mother working so hard to make ends meet along with cherished memories of family get togethers etc... had me remembering and relating in so many ways to my Italian/Greek upbringing. The pictures he paints with words are vivid as are his real life paintings of which some are showcased within the pages of the book. I never knew he was also a painter and was pleasantly surprised. His accounts of his time in World War II with all the racism and horrible treatment, specifically the "grave registration" incident, you'll have to read the book, I won't go into it here, was an eye opener and a learning process. Though my Father never spoke of his time in the war I now can understand how it affected his life and as a result gives me a better understanding of what he went through & why he was the person he turned out to be. It was somewhat of an awakening for me that I never would have known had I not read the accounts in this book. Tony's stories of the entertainment world and his constant fight not wanting to comprimise his work is fascinating, entertaining and shows the reader exactly what a cut throat business the music industry can be. His struggles balancing the day to day life of his family against his work was very difficult and portrayed in hearfelt sentiment throughout the book. His struggles with drugs, money and near death are chilling and allows the reader to see inside the singer's life in an intimate way. This living legend worked hard for every penny he made, without comprimise. This book is a wonderful read and whether a fan or not The Good Life makes for a great lesson on the ups and downs in life and how to overcome all the odds.

There's a Bennett anecdote I remember hearing reported on local (San Francisco) radio back in the early '60s: A local woman, gardening in her backyard one Saturday afternoon, was listening to Bennett's then-new "I Left My Heart In San Francisco;" suddenly, she realized, the singing had become somehow stereophonic. Looking up, she found Tony Bennett grinning at her over her backyard fence. In town for an appearance at the Fairmont Hotel, Bennett had been out for a walk; hearing her phonograph, he'd been unable to resist . . .This is the Tony Bennett you get to meet in the pages of "The Good Life." If you're a fan, nothing in this book will change your mind. If you're not, well then, despite the fact that there does appear a certain sense of "glossiness" in his account of his life, loves, marriages, etc., you may well find yourself coming to nonetheless admire the man.A word about that "glossiness": It may well arise from nothing more than a yearning towards fairness (and not only to himself). He discusses failed marriage, for example, as well as his work-induced absences as a parent, taking responsibility for his actions without -- on the one hand -- pointing out that it "takes two to tangle," or -- on the other -- seeking to overly justify his absences as the price of building a successful career. He also talks of his marijuana use (as first disclosed by his exwife, years after they'd split) in an explanatory tone, with regret, and without seeking to justify that use. Again, there is a sense of fairness about him, even as he talks of a fairly prevalent drug use among musicians of the era. In his desire to explain the musician's life and its pressures and demands, there is what some may (wrongfully)interpret as an impulse to self-expiate. This is wrong, as evidenced, not only by his own mea culpa approach, but by his account of a conversation with longtime friend -- and onetime collaborator -- Bill Evans, shortly before the latter's death.This fairness carries over in his account of his early disputes with then-Columbia Records A & R head, Mitch Miller (best remembered today, probably, for his subsequent "Sing Along With Mitch" records and TV series of the late '50s). By all accounts, Miller was -- to say the least -- dictatorial and patriarchial in his belief that he knew what was best for the artists under his control. Bennett could have savaged the man in this account (and justifiably); after all, Miller's long gone from the scene, others have already reminisced about his iron-handed control; so what stops Bennett . . . save for a humanistic impulse toward fairness?For me, one of the most telling portions of this autobiography occur in Bennett's recounting of his World War II experiences as a G.I. in the European theatre. Without self-aggrandizement, he talks -- movingly so -- of what he saw, and how those horrors turned him against war for all time; strikingly, it is this same absence of 'been-there-done-that' self-absorption that

Thank you Tony - for your great story! Well written & well told, never a dull moment. What a warm, wonderful & multitalented man! I agree with the reviewer from NY, Tony's story would make an excellent movie. God Bless you, Tony, & keep those glorious albums coming.

Tony Bennett's story would make a great movie, and while this book tells alot about the man I really wish it was a longer story. Guess I hated to see it end so fast, but it did give insight on things I did not know about Tony. He was in the Army and saw action in Europe during WW2, even if only for about 4-5 months, he saw alot and came very close to becoming a statistic himself. Most enjoyable, though, was Tony recalling the days when he first started out professionally and how he fought to make records that were important to him, not what the pop charts dictated. The mutual admiration between Tony & Frank(no last name needed)is also mentioned quite a few times, making it clear there was great affection between these two superstars. Highly recommended for all Tony Bennett fans, and please, how about a movie version starring that kid on Happy Days(Eddie Mekka-who portrayed the Big Ragu)who sings just like Tony? Oh well, just a suggestion...

I loved being let in on Tony's life and times. This book just shows he's as loveable and human as he is talented and adored.